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Book Reviews and Writing Tips

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

I’m a fantasy writer working on my first mystery. Some of you probably know that already. This has been quite an experience for me, but also a fun project. In fact, to me, there is nothing like entertaining myself, lounging around the house in sweatpants beating out some scenes on my keyboard.I’ve found that you can let your imagination go a bit more when writing fantasy than you can with something more serious, but I’ve still been enjoying myself. I like to push the boundaries and get out of my comfort zone once in awhile. This is an important part of the learning experience when it comes to the craft of writing.Writing in the mystery genre taxes my brain, but it’s a matter of use it or lose it, adapting and flourishing, or stagnating and dying. I do know I had this story in my head waiting to get out on paper, so if I don’t write what I have to say at my age I may as well forget it and quit. No one knows what is around the corner at any age. Sometimes I feel that I can’t write fast enough to get all my stories down on paper before the time is up. I really love doing this and don’t intend to stop until I can’t do it any longer.In this new endeavor, I’m trying to draw on my reading and life experiences to help me shape believable characters and situations. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a little talent for storytelling either. In addition, just practice of writing, writing, writing, and reading. I hope that part of this angst will come through in my story.I know everyone here has heard of Malcolm Gladwell’s famous 10,000-hour rule. Supposedly, it takes this many hours to become good at what you do. I think this is true in all occupations, whether you’re a writer, plumber, lawyer, gardener, and electrician, whatever. Practice always makes anything better. So, if you are a writer starting at 60, you may as well be writer starting out at 20. We all start from the same place, with no experience at all.A good imagination always comes into play when writing, but so does life experiences. Sometimes an older writer will have it over a younger one because of all the relationships, grief, loss, anger, joy experienced over the years. If we dig deep within us, remembering all these difficult times and painful experiences, we can pull out the necessary things to instill in our writing. In this way, we can create characters that matter to the reader.This mystery is my fourth novel. I feel that over the last five years my writing has gotten a lot better. I know so much more now than I did when I published my first novel in 2008. That book took me four long years to write. I started it when I was taking a creative writing course in CA. I have been writing steady for about 15 years now, although I dabbled way before that, but unfortunately work took precedence and I didn’t keep up the pace as much with writing back then as I do now. The key for sure is to write all the time, even if it’s just free writing or some silly story.Haversham Hill, the story I labored over for four years and published in 2008, is a ghost story. It has good bones and sells more copies than my next two books, but I would still do a few things differently if I were writing that book today, namely there is too much narrative and flowery descriptions. Or, perhaps I have grown past all this elaborate detail.My next two books are definitely for selected audiences, a historical book set in medieval times and a Y/A leprechaun adventure story. That limits my sales, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing these books. As I always do, I try to write something I’d like to read. I’m particularly interested in medieval tales and I love mythical beings. Writing for me is actually more important than the amount of sales I get. I think it always will be because I don’t plan to be on the New York Times bestseller list, but I do plan on writing my brains out and learning everyday because I love writing.I hope that future readers find my stories as engrossing as I do myself because I think fiction books shouldn’t be journalistic pieces like you find in newspapers, “just the facts, ma’am,” as Sergeant Joe Friday used to say. Writing novels should be a fun experience, even if you do have to bleed onto the keyboard once in awhile, as you sweat out the correct way to say what you have to say.Meanwhile fill your inner world with lots of reading and stories because sometimes you don’t have any control over your crappy external environment. However, you do have control over what you read. Reading will make all of us better writers, and we can also draw on all the external crappy stuff to incorporate into our stories.I want to encourage everybody to use all the knowledge you have now. Never give up, thinking you aren’t good enough, because you are. You may be better one day, but you’re still good enough today to pursue the avenues you want to pursue in your writing. None of us knows if we will get a tomorrow. While this may sound morbid, it really isn’t. This is my reason for choosing to self-publish my books. I wasn’t about to keep pursuing publishers at my age. Besides, there are so many avenues open to writers today and we should take advantage of these opportunities.Really, we can’t depend on anyone except ourselves. We need to stay motivated, keep our imaginations active, and have great tenacity in order to succeed.That’s my two cents. I’d love to hear from anyone who wants to comment.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

He takes me to another room down the hall from the jail cell. It’s a little bigger than the barred room I was just in, but at least it is cleaner. It has the distinct smell of Pine-sol mixed with the slight scent of lingering perfume. In the middle of the room, there is a metal table with two chairs slid in facing each other. The jailer pulls one out, shoves me into it, and tells me the Sheriff will be in shortly. He leaves and I hear him locking me in.For those new to this, the rules are simple:1) pick a project – a current Work in Progress, contracted work or even something readers can buy if you’re published2) pick six sentences3) post ‘em on SundaySee? Easy. Want to play? See the site for information on how to do just that: http://sixsunday.comIf you have a Twitter account, you can add the hashtag #sixsunday to your tweets when you tweet a link to your Six Sentence Sunday post. If you’re a writer (regardless of published/unpublished status) come join us!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Today, I’m going to write about a quote I read recently because it got me to thinking. Of course, I’m always interested in learning new things.

Now I want to go and look at my WIP and see how many times I have used the word very in the book. I don’t think I’m a real big offender, but who knows. I’m mainly interested to see if any sentences sound better without it.The meaning of the word “very” in the dictionary days: very is an adverb, used in front of adjectives and adverbs to emphasize their meaning. Hmmm....How many of you use the word very in your writing?

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Then it is off for mug shots again, her fingers wrapped around my upper arm. Finally, back in the slammer, the metals doors clang shut. A couple of other prisoners lie on their sides asleep in their cells. Only a girl with long, dark hair sees me approach. She sits on the metal bench with a wide-eyed stare. “What are you in for?” she whispers as soon as the deputy disappears down the hallway.For those new to this, the rules are simple:1) pick a project – a current Work in Progress, contracted work or even something readers can buy if you’re published2) pick six sentences3) post ‘em on SundaySee? Easy. Want to play? See the site for information on how to do just that: http://sixsunday.comIf you have a Twitter account, you can add the hashtag #sixsunday to your tweets when you tweet a link to your Six Sentence Sunday post. If you’re a writer (regardless of published/unpublished status) come join us!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Of course, I had to go and enter the mystery I’m working on. I’ve entered something since the thing started in 2008. I never expect to win, but like to advance a couple rounds. Mostly, I enter because it is a great learning experience. The writers who enter it are a great group of people, so its fun participating in the contest and interacting with them as the months go by and we cheer each other on. The contest doesn’t end until June.Anyway, that is what I’ve been up to the last few weeks, trying to finish my book and do enough polishing to enter. Of course, I still have to do more.Another good reason to enter is that it forces you to write something new every year. The NaNoWriMo is good for that, if you didn’t do anything to get ready before Nov, like me this year.Happy writing to all.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Ellie stands on the deserted street corner waiting for the bus. Finally, she sits on her battered brown suitcase and watches the fog roll in around the dim streetlamps. It’s a chilly night; she shivers in her thin shawl as she peers down the street, the buckle of the strap holding her case together stabbing her in the buttocks. Someday I’ll be able to afford a new one goes through her mind, as she moved over. Wisps of hot air escape through the grates in the street that badly needs a new coat of paving; dark cracks run over it like spider webs. Ellie is glad to be leaving this place; soon it will be a distant memory, the constant chill, the fog, the rain.For those new to this, the rules are simple:1) pick a project – a current Work in Progress, contracted work or even something readers can buy if you’re published2) pick six sentences3) post ‘em on SundaySee? Easy. Want to play? See the site for information on how to do just that: http://sixsunday.comIf you have a Twitter account, you can add the hashtag #sixsunday to your tweets when you tweet a link to your Six Sentence Sunday post. If you’re a writer (regardless of published/unpublished status) come join us!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

This One is for all You Cat Lovers out There.I haven’t read a book this delightful in a long time. It hooked me after the first couple of pages. Of course, I’m a cat person, big time, so I guess that’s expected. The story unfolds through the eyes of the Dalai Lama’s cat, a Himalayan kitten he rescues at a street market. This cat he names HHC (his Holiness’s Cat).The Dalai Lama meets with lots of people, some of them famous, which at first we try to figure out who they are since there is only a hint here and there. The cat is privy to all these private meetings where His Holiness hands out advice and enlightenment. It is a delight to see the cat trying to figure out how she can apply all this information to her “cat” life. She thinks about her own issues, which happen to be much the same as the people who are coming to see the Dalai Lama. There is advice all the way through this book on how to live a happy life. Intermingled throughout are bits and pieces of this sentiment, as well as Buddhism principles, but as seen in the eyes of the cat’s daily life and are easy to understand and relate to, regardless if you are a cat lover or not. All along the way the cat, HHC, has some revelations as well, as to how she can live her life in a better way, such as enjoying her new cat friend instead of sulking around hiding for three days, just because she's in a strange place.This author knows well how cats behave, capturing it perfectly, so I am willing to bet he has had some experience of his own with the precious felines, as well as with Buddhists principles.Those of you who have never had a cat may think this is a stretch of the imagination and that no animal really thinks about human issues. However, it is feasible and written well, and as a cat owner, I can tell you the little rascals know more than you give them credit for concerning life.This is not a “preachy” book either, so it wouldn’t be offensive to anyone regardless of religious preference, or lack thereof. The underlying theme is mindfulness and forgiveness, which we can all benefit from and put into play in our daily lives.I hardily recommend this book by David Michie.Here is the link to the book on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Dalai-Lamas-Cat-David-Michie/dp/1401940587/

Sunday, January 6, 2013

“Turn around,” he orders. The cold metal snaps shut on my wrists. The sheriff has arrested me a few times before, and even though no killer in his or her right mind would hang around the scene of the crime, he must still think it’s worth it to bring me in for questioning. The trip to the police station is quiet, subdued. I really wonder what Robert was into, whom it was with, and how I will get out of this. The police station is quickly becoming my second home.For those new to this, the rules are simple:1) pick a project – a current Work in Progress, contracted work or even something readers can buy if you’re published2) pick six sentences3) post ‘em on SundaySee? Easy. Want to play? See the site for information on how to do just that: http://sixsunday.comIf you have a Twitter account, you can add the hashtag #sixsunday to your tweets when you tweet a link to your Six Sentence Sunday post. If you’re a writer (regardless of published/unpublished status) come join us!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

I haven’t had time to write up a post for today. I’m too busy working on my book. So for now I will just send everyone my best wishes. I hope you all had a safe holiday and that all your dreams for 2013 come true. Maybe we will all be lucky enough to be able to write to our hearts content in the coming months.I’m so far behind on reading some posts I want to read, but will be catching up soon I hope.Blessings all.

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Welcome to my Ramblings

I may chat about my books, what I'm writing or reading, or just general thoughts about writing and publishing. Comments are welcome, if anyone wants to interact with me. I'd like to hear about your writing and publishing experiences.